A therapy pet is an animal trained to comfort and affectionate people in various settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and disaster areas. Unlike service animals and emotional support animals (ESAs), therapy pets do not provide individual support to a single person with a disability but instead interact with many people to improve their well-being.

Main Characteristics of Therapy Pets

• Therapy pets are used to bring comfort, reduce stress, and promote emotional well-being in various therapeutic environments, and they help enhance the quality of life of the people they visit.
• Common settings include hospitals, nursing homes, schools, rehabilitation centers, and disaster areas.
• Therapy pets undergo specific training to ensure they are well-behaved, calm, and able to handle various environments and interactions and they need to be certified by a recognized therapy pet organization after passing an evaluation.
• Therapy pets do not have the same legal protections as service animals or ESAs. Their access is typically limited to the facilities they visit as part of a therapy program.

What Is The Difference Between Therapy Pets and Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)?

Therapy Pets

1. Provide comfort to multiple people in various settings.
2. Do not have specific legal protections under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) or Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA).
3. Specific training and certification are required to ensure suitability for therapy work.

Emotional Support Animals

1. Provide emotional support to their individual owners with mental or emotional disabilities.
2. Have legal protections under the FHA and ACAA, allowing them to live with their owners in no-pet housing and sometimes travel with them on airplanes.
3. Do not require special training but should be well-behaved in public.

How To Get a Therapy Pet Certification

To certify your pet as a therapy pet, follow these steps:

1. Basic Training
   • Ensure your pet has basic obedience training and can reliably follow commands.
2. Advanced Training
   • Consider additional training specifically for therapy work, focusing on socialization, calmness, and interaction with different people.
3. Certification Evaluation
   • Contact a recognized therapy pet organization to schedule an evaluation. Some well-known organizations include:
4. Pet Partners
   • Therapy Dogs International (TDI)
   • Alliance of Therapy Dogs
5. Complete Certification Process
   • Pass the evaluation conducted by the chosen organization. This typically involves assessing your pet’s behavior, temperament, and ability to handle various environments.
6. Ongoing Requirements
   • Maintain your pet’s certification by adhering to any continuing education or re-certification requirements the organization sets.

Therapy pets help provide comfort and improve the well-being of many people in therapeutic settings. Unlike ESAs, they do not have specific legal protections for housing or travel and require specific training and certification to perform their role effectively. By working with recognized organizations, you can make sure your pet is properly certified to become a therapy pet.